West Australian cricket leaders say the decision to overlook Perth to host a test match against India next summer will cost millions of dollars in lost revenue. The four matches between Australia and India will be held at larger venues, leaving Perth without a test match for the first time in nearly 40 years. The West Australian Cricket Association says that'll be a costly move and its membership could suffer.

Transcript

MARK COLVIN: West Australian cricket leaders say the decision to overlook Perth to host a test match against India next summer will cost millions.

The four matches between Australia and India will be held at bigger venues

The decision leaves Perth without a test match for the first time in nearly 40 years.

The West Australian Cricket Association says that'll be a costly move and its membership could suffer.

From Perth, Caitlyn Gribbin has our report.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: First came the anger.

CRICKET FAN: What are we doing? We're all just going to sip lattes in comfortable seats and watch replays on the back of the seats in front of us are we?

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Then, callers to ABC Local Radio in WA conceded Perth's cricket ground mightn't be good enough for a test match anymore.

CRICKET FAN 2: People these days require a lot more, and the WACA hasn't been able to achieve this.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Now, the calculators are out.

The West Australian Cricket Association's chief executive, Christina Matthews, says the decision could cost it up to $5 million in lost revenue.

CHRISTINA MATTHEWS: That's the reality. There's a certain amount of income guaranteed by Cricket Australia, but it's the peripheral things that affect you, like corporate hospitality, the food and beverage that you sell at the venue, merchandise - things like that.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: James Sutherland, from the sport's governing body, Cricket Australia, says larger stadiums in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are more profitable.

JAMES SUTHERLAND: We were faced with an unenviable decision of only having four tests and six very valid test match venues. So there had to be a couple of loses, Hobart's one of them and unfortunately Perth is the other one.

To be frank, the spectator experience in those other venues are better at the moment than what we see at the WACA.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: But Christina Matthews says the decision to leave Perth out could jeopardise future corporate deals and membership.

CHRISTINA MATTHEWS: We're going to really look at our financial planning and our prospects over the next two to three years to make sure it doesn't stop us from delivering what we're there to do, which is growing the game in Western Australia.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: It's been suggested that the WACA isn't good enough for international matches anymore.

The new Burswood Stadium, due for completion in 2017, has been named as a future cricket test match venue.

John Spry has been a WACA member for nearly 60 years, and played club cricket there as a teenager.

Like Ms Matthews, Mr Spry is worried about membership numbers.

JOHN SPRY: That is the problem, that maybe the members that look forward only to this test matches, this could be a problem. But speaking from my point of view it wouldn't be a problem, but I guess other people would find it less entertaining to renew their membership in that case.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: The tourism industry has also weighed in.

The Queensland Government has welcomed being allocated a test match, saying Indian visitors will boost the economy.

Evan Hall is from the Tourism Council of WA.

EVAN HALL: We certainly don't like to see Queenslanders gloating, we'd obviously prefer to have that match in WA. The cricket is a great way of publicising Western Australia to potential tourists in India, of course to trigger people to make that trip over to WA and to Perth to watch the game.

I think we've missed out on an opportunity to get some Indian tourists over and certainly to promote Perth and Western Australia as a future holiday destination.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: WACA member John Spry says Australia plays well at WACA test matches, because its fast and bouncy pitch favours pace bowlers.

JOHN SPRY: You know the fact that we're budding a lot of new players under Australian conditions; it is one of our strengths to have a fast wicket. So I would think that would be part and parcel of it as well.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Indian cricketers may be rejoicing that they're avoiding that fast and bouncy pitch?

JOHN SPRY: Exactly. When they played they weren't terribly happy about the fast, bouncy wickets, that's for sure.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Former Australian cricketer, Justin Langer, says commercial interests aside, the WACA would've been a good option for the test match.

JUSTIN LANGER: The WACA's a brilliant place to play test cricket. It's unique to everywhere else in the world in that there's pace and bounce, different than almost every surface around the world. So it gives Australia a good hometown advantage.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Do you think Australia's taking away from its strengths by not using the fast and bouncy pitch at the WACA?

JUSTIN LANGER: From a pure cricket point of view I've got no doubt about it. The opportunity to play India on the WACA gives Australia a huge homeground advantage. So from a purely cricket point of view, there's no doubt about that.